I had to make a trip to Northampton today to look for a couple of missing pieces to the costumes that Robert and I will be wearing to a friend’s 50th birthday tomorrow. It’s 70’s themed. (Don’t worry, I won’t let you down by not posting photos of this soon!)

While heading for the now non-existent Army/Navy Store, I had to pass Starbucks. I’m pretty sure I’ve posted before about my inability to pass a Starbucks without going in, so in I went, equipped with my gift card, for a venti ice coffee with 3 pumps of vanilla. (It was all of 72 degrees here!) Every time I go in, I look longingly at the pastry case full of scones, muffins, giant cookies and tiny madeleines…….and expectantly.

Expectantly, because I can just feel it in my bones that someday there is going to be a plate of something there that is labeled gluten free.

Imagine my excitement as I peered into the case and noticed a lone little cake sitting on its very own white pedestal. Next to it a small label announced its “gluten free-ness.”
Oh happy day!
When I got to the register, I added that little cake to my order.

They are individually wrapped so as to ensure there is no cross contamination. The one on display was not wrapped, but the one they give you when you order is. Actually, my first one had an opening in its wrapper, so I asked for another, and then I was off for the taste test.

Not a bit of disappointment… spongy like real cake, very moist, had just the right amount of sweetness, and the perfect finishing touch of sliced almonds on top. It actually reminded me of a recipe that my friend Romy posted a while back which was for
an orange cake that you make with a whole orange. The Starbucks cake has both orange pulp and orange rind in it, real eggs, almond flour, rice flour, sugar, and orange oil. It was just perfect!

I couldn’t wait to get home and tell the kids. They (unfortunately) have acquired a taste and love for going to Starbucks as well. They are usually limited to the blended fraps which are a nice gluten free treat, but now they will have more to choose from.

And though I try to avoid eating sugar in general, I feel an need to purchase a little orange cake on a regular basis so that Starbucks will continue to cater to special diets as much as they can! Thankfully, many restaurants and cafes are making an effort to accommodate the gluten free diet. A couple of weeks ago, a friend shared her experience of eating at Legal Sea Foods in Boston, where her Celiac daughter and husband were able to have gluten free croutons on their salad, and gluten free breaded fish! Amazing!

Thanks, Starbucks – you made my day! And even though there is no more Army/Navy store in Northampton, that tiny bit of goodness spurred me on to ask around and find another great resource for costumes just around the corner. I walked into Ultra Gal, and walked out with a captain’s hat and glitter platform shoes. 70’s party, here we come!

(Last time I went to Northampton, I discovered gluten free, chocolate covered, almond macaroons at The Haymarket. It just keeps getting better!)